Fordson fifth wheel



April 22 1924. wmgs' B. BAITS FORDS ON FIFTH WHEEL Filed Sept. 1, 1922 ZSheeLs-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

1,491,185 PATENT OFFICE,

BENJ'AMIN BAITS, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

FOBDSON FIFTH WHEEL.

Application filed September 1, 1922. Serial No. 585,784.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN Barre, a citizen of the United States, residing at East St. Louis, in the county of St. Clair and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Fordson Fifth Wheel, of which the following is aspecifioation.

The device forming the sub'ect matter of this application is an attac ent for a Fordson tractor, and the object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby a part of the weight of a load which is drawn by the tractor may be yieldably carried on the rear wheels of the tractor, the

construction being such that jars and shocks may be avoided, it being possible to make a short turn of the tractor with respect to the load which is drawn by the tractor.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention ap ertains.

With the a ove and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings I Figure 1 shows in rear elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a top plan; Figure 3 is a sectional detail disclosing the bridge, parts being in elevation; Figure 4 is a sectional view illustrating a part of one element of the rotatable member; Figure 5 is a transverse section showing the retainer which cotiperates with the part depicted in Figure 4;

igure 6 is a fragmental section showing a portion of the bridge; Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 8 is a transverse section; Figure 9 is a perspective view showing one member of the support; Figure 10 is a perspective showing t e other member of the support; Fi ure 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of Figure 2.

The numeral 1 designates the rear axle casing of a Fordson tractor, the casing car- )ying ground wheels 2. Supports 3 are provided, each support including a lower memher 9 having a recess 4,,a wear plate 5 be ing seated in the lower member 9 and cooperating with the recess 4. Vertical guideways 6 are fashioned in the lower member 9 adjacent to the ends thereof, the lower member 9 being supplied with'flanges 7 disosed at the lower ends of the guide-ways 6. ach support 3 comprises an upper member h having a recess 8 com lemental to the recess 4 in the lower mom or g. The recesses 4 and 8 cooperate to form an opening adapted to receive the axle casing 1, the members It and g of each support 3 being held together, on the casing 1 by securing elements i.

The device com rises an 11 wardly arched bridge I) provide at its en s with bifurcations 9 carrying depending tubular arms a which are slidably mounted in the guideways 6 of the lower members 9 of the supports 3. Compression springs f are disposed in the arms 6, the upper ends of the compression springs bearing against the bifurcations 9 of the bridge I), and the lower ends of the compression springs bein seated on the flanges 7 of the lower mem ers g of the supports 3. Securing elements J pass downwardly through the bifurcations 9 of the bridge I) and t rough the flanges 7 of the lower member 9 of the supports 3, the securing elements passing through the compression springs 7.

A rotatable member 10 is provided, the same including a head a having a socket 11 adapted to receive the draft tongue (not shown) or like element whereby the load which is to be drawn is attached to the tractor. The head a has a reduced neck 12 journaled in an opening 14 in the bridge I). On the lower end of the neck 12 is mounted a retainer d which may be a threaded collar, the retainer coo crating with the intermediate ortion o the bridge I; to hold the rotata le member 10 thereon. The head a of the rotatable member 10 comprises a flange 15. C00 crating ball races 16 are formed in the ange and in the bridge I), the races being adapted to receive balls 17 or other anti-friction elements.

Intermediate its ends, the bridge b is supplied with a projecting lip It in which a slide at, preferably in the form of a bolt, is mounted for reciprocation. Compression springs m are disposed about the slide n, the inner ends of the springs abutting against the lip k and the outer ends of the springs abutting against the end portions of the slide or bolt n. The slide n is pivoted to a bracket Z on the rear axle casing 1.

Owing to the fact that the rotatable member 10 1S journaled on the bridge 6, it is obvious that the load ma swing laterally at practically any desire angle with respect to the tractor. The springs f carry a part of the load and prevent shocks and 1am. The slide at and the springs m serve to hold the bridge 6 balanced, when there is no load on the bridge, the bridgebeing mounted pivotally on the axle casing 1, through the instrumentality of the supports 3. Further, the slide n and the springs m serve to relieve the structure from sudden 7 jars and shocks.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, an axle, su ports including upper members located a ve the axle, and lower members located below the axle, the lower members tion of the axle for detachable connection with a trailer.

2. In a device of the class described an axle, supports including u per members located above the axle and ower members located below the axle, the lower members having substantially vertical uides, means for connecting the upper an lower members of the supports to hold them on the axle, a bridge disposed above the axle and extended longitudinally thereof, the bridge being arched intermediate at its ends with respect to the axle, and being provided at its ends with depending arms slidable in the guides, compression springs located in the guides and cooperating with the arms, means carried by the intermediate portion of the bridge for detachable connection with a trailer, a slide mounted for vertical reciprocation in the bridge, means for connecting the slide to the axle, and compression s rings abutting at the inner ends against t e bridge, the outer ends of the springs being retained on theslide.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my'own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of twokwitnesses.

MARTIN S. BAKER, Hxnow G. BAKER. 

